awards
Makeup Guild Award - 2023 for Best Makeup in a Music Video or Commercial for :American Horror Stories: Dollhouse - Shared with Kerry Herta, Jason Collins, Alyssa Morgan.
Makeup Guild Award - 2022 for Best Makeup in a Music Video or Commercial for :AHS Double Feature Variety - Shared with Kerry Herta and Alex Perrone
Frostbite International Film Festival - 2017 Winner - Best Practical Effects Shanghai Faders (2017)
Hollywood Blood Horror Film Festival - 2021 Winner - Best Special Makeup Jason Rising: A Friday the 13th Fan Film (2021) - Shared with: James Sweet
interviews and Mentions
Interview with Christina Kortum (Ravenous Studios) and Kevin McTurk (Spectral Motion) about Peacock new series Girl In The Woods
Pop Horror interview with Christina Kortum and Kevin McTurk
Interview with KATU News regarding Oregon’s talent pool
Article in Makeup Artist Magazine on Grimm
Mention by KATU
Dreadcentral interview about Anarchy Parlor
Reviews
New Life
With jaw-dropping, striking special effects, and warmth, by virtue of its delicately intricate story and compelling performances, this film is not only captivating, it’s also human in the way it conceptualizes the zombie.
https://filmdaze.net/fantasia-2023-review-new-life-is-a-thrilling-tale-of-human-paranoia/ - Alisha Mughal
Without saying anything about the direction the film goes in, I’ll say this, there are some very impressive practical effects that are put to great use during some very intense scenes.
https://letterboxd.com/deaditegaz92/film/new-life-2023-1/ - Gary Cruise
The practical effects and makeup look fantastic and keep the film grounded.
https://whynow.co.uk/read/new-life-review - Maria Lattila
The shift in New Life to horror with impressive, if disgusting, practical effects is seamless.
https://darkskylady.com/new-life-thrills-with-genre-blending-immersive-story-fantasia-festival/ - Darkskylady
The special effects during these points are especially impressive and make for some stomach-churning body horror.
https://screenanarchy.com/amp/2023/08/fantasia-2023-review-new-life.html - Andrew Mack
Practical make-up effects are particularly impressive, and leave a lasting impression.
https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/new-life-fantasia-review/5184173.article - Nikki Baughan
The film is not short on blood, gore, or body horror and each instance looks great, providing a few moments of real tension to accompany the relentless chase.
https://www.whatiwatchedtonight.co.uk/new-life - Matt Hudson
New Life also features some surprising practical effects. Most of these are makeup effects to show characters afflicted with the aforementioned virus. These looks are truly disturbing and very well done, injecting a bit more horror into this thriller.
https://thebloggingbanshee.com/2023/08/09/fantasia-2023-review-new-life/ - Molly Henery
When the movie eventually gets good and gory in the second half, full marks go to Christina Kortum, a disciple of Oscar-winning makeup icon Chris Walas. Her morphs were near gag-inducing and were tremendously effective.
Failure holds catastrophic consequences, as shown through the tremendous practical effects conveying unforgettable horrors.
https://www.thereviewingrodders.co.uk/2023/08/frightfest-new-life-2023.html?m=1 - James Rodrigues
The makeup is superb, and the over-the-top practical effects got at least one gasp out of me.
https://www.themarysue.com/new-life-review-a-fun-if-thin-horror-thriller/ - Julia Glassman
On the flip side, the goriest moments feel more effective than anything in AMC’s The Walking Dead (2010-22).
www.vaugevisages.com - Q.V. Hough
The scenes with the infected were honestly some of the best depictions of zombie style interaction I’ve seen in a while. The makeup effects were gross and nauseating in the most beautiful of ways, I needed more of that.
https://www.filminquiry.com/new-life-2023-review/?amp=1 - Crockett Houghton
With slick, visual style, writer-director John Rosman skilfully keeps everything grounded, which makes the bonkers craziness and excellent makeup work that much more effective.
http://www.shadowsonthewall.co.uk/23/qi.htm#newl - Rich Cline
angry black girl and her monster
“There are great effects throughout and moments of gore that will stick with you in The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster.”
https://www.themarysue.com/the-angry-black-girl-and-her-monster-review-this-isnt-your-typical-frankensteins-monster/ - Vanessa Maki
“Though there isn't an extraordinary amount of gore in The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster, what's there is not only fabulous but also has a purpose beyond the gross-out.“
https://www.filmfreakcentral.net/ffc/2023/03/boston-underground-film-festival-23-the-angry-black-girl-and-her-monster.html - Walter Chaw
“It also takes a familiar story and expertly reimagines it from this crushing perspective. Add in stellar effects work and bloody horror moments. I hope this is a film that will make it to the top of everyone’s Best Horror of 2023 lists.”
https://butwhytho.net/2023/03/the-angry-black-girl-and-her-monster-review/ - Kate Sanchez
“The film is an emotional roller coaster; amongst the horror (which gets incredibly gory – the effects being particularly impressive) there’s real heart at the centre of the tale.”
https://www.starburstmagazine.com/reviews/the-angry-black-girl-and-her-monster/ - Martin Unsworth
“It’s well-shot, well-told, and it even has some stellar gore, which I wasn’t expecting if I’m being honest. The effects are really good, and the story is one that’s worth telling, a reimagining of a classic story that is legitimately well done.”
https://www.thehorrorrevolution.com/theangryblackgirlandhermonster
“As is usual with production company Crypt TV, whose mission is to “create culture-changing monster stories that bring the world closer together,” the film’s creature design and practical effects were gorgeous. Each bit of Chris’ skin looked as if it was pulled from a different rotting corpse, and injuries were just gruesome enough to repulse viewers without going over the top.”
“The practical effects are fantastic and the film isn’t afraid to get gory when needed, plus its monster design feels fresh and original.”
https://bloody-flicks.co.uk/2023/07/15/the-angry-black-girl-and-her-monster-review/ - Paul Downey
Cell Count
"Boasting some of the best special effects I’ve seen in an indie film, Cell Count felt a lot like an extra long episode of Lost. "
Killerfilm.com - Donny Broussard
"The effects are great. For a low budget independent film to have the quality of effects that Cell Count does is very impressive. Freeman could have used digital effects to conserve his limited budget, but he went all out with really great practical effects and horror fans will be thankful that he did."
Shock Till You Drop - Tyler Doupe
"The practical gore work looks appropriately sickly. Diseased flesh, open surgery wounds, and a face enveloping skin-flap are disgustingly well done. "
Bloody Disgusting - Michael Erb
"That said, Cell Count boosts grisly, cringe-inducing, practical effects (the CGI doesn’t come off nearly half as well), which are the best thing the film has going for it."
Diabolique Magazine - Michele Galgana
Brutal
"The images that we're given make us want to look away but you just can't bring yourself to do it because it's just that good. The effects are done very well and it's so great to see a film maker use practical effects."
Twisted Central - Gore Whore
The Terror Experiment
"Makeup effects on the stricken, shambling and fallen are top-notch, spilling and spewing blood that’s realistic, yet rancid in a supernatural sort of way."
Horror.com - Staci Layne
Cabin Fever 2016
"Cabin Fever is first and foremost a righteous gross-out. The special effects are downright nasty, and more vividly portrayed than any of the characters. "
Filmjournal.com - Maitland McDonagh
"Z, adirector who’s not one to shy away from buckets of blood, takes advantage of the advancements in the special effects department over the last 14 years to create repulsive scenes pulled out of dermatologists’ nightmares."
Victoriaadvocate.com - jfriar
“Cabin Fever, much like the original, is not a very good movie, but kudos have to be given to the makeup department for creating some grotesque looking abominations of people as their skin continues to rot.”
Flickeringmyth.com - Robert Kojder
Anarchy Parlor
The filmmakers clearly relish the opportunity to showcase the art of flaying in all its gory detail — props to special makeup effects artist Christina Kortum —
The Hollywood Reporter - THR Staff